8 of Worcestershire’s lost and abandoned railways
However, in order to progress some railway stations and routes have to be abandoned.
Along with other places across the country, Worcestershire was hit hard by the Beeching cuts, when thousands of miles of track and stations were closed in the ‘60s
Other routes simply weren’t used enough and couldn’t handle the competition that the development of trams and cars brought with them.
Here are just eight local railway stations and lines that have been abandoned, demolished in the county – how many do you remember using?
1. Fernhill Heath Railway Station
(Photo: Site of Fernhill Heath Stationcc-by-sa/2.0[1] – © Bob Embleton[2] – geograph.org.uk/p/77761[3])
In 1852, this station opened up as Fearnall Heath but was later renamed to Fernhill Heath in 1883.
After decades of usage, the station was closed in April 1965 due to Beeching Cuts.
Sadly, the station has a story attached to its past as it was once the site of a train crash.
In 1951, a passenger and a goods train collided leaving the two locomotives sprawled across the tracks at Fernhill Heath.
Luckily no one was killed in this collision between a passenger train and goods train, but among the injured was an off-duty railway fireman, John (“Jack”) Saunders, then 21 years old.
2. Bransford Road Railway Station
(Photo: Bransford Road Stationcc-by-sa/2.0[4] – © Ben Brooksbank[5] – geograph.org.uk/p/1931107[6])
This station opened in 1860 and in 1911, the original station was replaces with one built according to a standard Great Western Railway design.
However, it was forced to close its doors in 1965- the goods yard was closed in 1964.
3.Knightwick Station
(Photo: Knightwick: site/remains of station, 1999.View eastwards, towards Worcester: ex-GWR Worcester – Bromyard – Leominster line (Photo: Photo © Ben Brooksbank[7] (cc-by-sa/2.0[8]))
This station formally opened on 2 May 1874 and was the second station on the branch line to Bromyard.
It was only a small station when it opened, consisting of a single platform, a small brick station building and a small goods yard.
The last passenger train left on 7 Septemer 1964.
By 2012, the bridge at the east end of the platform had been demolished and the station buildings were converted into a private house, complete with new garage.
4. Suckley Station
This station primarily served the village of Suckley, as it is just 1.5 miles from it.
It was opened in March 1878 and closed in September 1964.
However, cut backs to the station began as early as 1956 when the passing loop and one platforms were taken out of regular use.
In the noughties, the station became so overgrown that no discernable features of the station could be made out.
5. Eckington Railway Station
(Photo: Eckington station (site/remains), 1993cc-by-sa/2.0[9] – © Ben Brooksbank[10] – geograph.org.uk/p/3450385[11])
Serving the village of Eckington, this station was opened by the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway in 1840.
The architecture and structure was quite unique in that it was erected in a gothic style and aesthetic.
Sadly, Eckington was another village that fell victim to service cuts forcing the station to close on 4 January 1965.
6. Henwick Railway Station
Do you remember this station?
IT opened in 1859 but closed more than a century later in 1965.
The station was described as a small place with its own booking office, waiting room, station master’s office, porter service, signal box, extensive goods sidings and very well-kept gardens on the up platform.”
7. Malvern Hanley Road railway station
(Photo: © Ben Brooksbank[12] (cc-by-sa/2.0[13])
Nestled in the Malvern Hills once sat this railway station.
It was opened as Malvern Wells in 1862 by the Tewkesbury and Malvern Railway, before it became part of Midlands Railway.
It was renamed Malvern Hanley Road on 2 March 1951- even though the station and line closed just a year later.
8. Defford Railway Station
This station opened in 1841 and was a small station with a goods yard.
It was closed in 1965 and it was demolished. However, a year later, the station yard was take over by a business but reverted to railway use in 2015.
References
- ^ cc-by-sa/2.0 (creativecommons.org)
- ^ View profile (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ geograph.org.uk/p/77761 (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ cc-by-sa/2.0 (creativecommons.org)
- ^ View profile (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ geograph.org.uk/p/1931107 (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ View profile (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ cc-by-sa/2.0 (creativecommons.org)
- ^ cc-by-sa/2.0 (creativecommons.org)
- ^ View profile (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ geograph.org.uk/p/3450385 (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ View profile (www.geograph.org.uk)
- ^ cc-by-sa/2.0 (creativecommons.org)